Great pizza, fine dining at KAVA

Let’s Eat paid a visit to KAVA last week and chatted with manager/owner Heath Gerard Marcoviche and Kapok director Diana Cohen-Chan. The duo spoke about the history of the restaurant and how their ideas came together to implement it.

On his love of food Marcoviche recalled that growing up the family had to “ration” food, but every Saturday they had a “treat”. One Saturday his mother made hot dogs and Marcoviche, aged five, ate one hot dog but was told to leave the other for another day. His father, however, said to let him eat it because you never know what would happen tomorrow.

“You have a passion for something. I like to see people eat. It is something that makes me smile,” he explained.

A pizza chef, Marcoviche said that he was never formally trained as a chef nor did he go to culinary school but learned through the food places that he worked. He learned from various chefs, including in the US State of Chicago.

After working under a number of people Marcoviche decided to take the bold step and open his own restaurant.

Through a friend he was introduced to Cohen-Chan who had a similar idea to do something on the Kapok compound.

Cohen-Chan explained that she could not believe that both their ideas meshed. She recalled he told her if she was “totally serious” he would sign a cheque the next day.

The current restaurant spot used to house Meiling designs but when the fashion store returned to Carlos Street, Woodbrook the location was left empty. There were a number of people who expressed interest in the spot but they were not a good fit for Kapok.

Cohen-Chan said with Marcoviche she found someone with equal passion and a fresh concept they wanted to bring to fruition.

She said that the place was the same footprint of the original Kapok restaurant, which later became the Caf? Savannah, so Kava opened “at the same location where it started”.

“That’s good energy,” she added.

She said they wanted to add more energy and have a lobby space with dynamism and she believes that they have achieved that. The restaurant was opened in June 2012.

On the name of the restaurant they wanted something to capture energy and exotic. The “kava” plant, found in Polynesian islands, is an intoxicating plant. Cohen-Chan said they want people to be “intoxicated” by KAVA and want to come back. The plant also features in the restaurant’s logo.

Asked about the menu, Marcoviche said it was a “bit of everything”. The eclectic menu features artisan brick oven pizzas, gourmet burgers, pastas, salad options for the health conscious and ribs, pastas, steaks, wantons and other treats.

He explained that they try to capture everybody and at the right price point. He said that people may feel that because it is a hotel the prices would be higher, but KAVA’s prices are competitive or cheaper than some other restaurants.

Marcoviche pointed out that the burgers are not frozen but made in house, and they grind their own meats and make their own patties fresh.

He said that you will taste the difference when you try it. He also said their food is not a fine dining nor is it a “shop” either.

“We are basically excellent quality food, fine dining standard and a very good price,” he explained.

The 2.5 tonne brick oven, where they make their pizzas, is showcased at the front of the restaurant and people can get one on one interaction with the pizza chef. It is especially popular among children, who enjoy seeing the process.

Among their other dishes Marcoviche said that the steaks are very popular among customers and people come to KAVA especially for it.

On the general responses to the food he said that get both positive and negative feedback, but the response from the majority so far has been excellent.

“They love the food, ambiance and service,” he added.

The restaurant has a 4/5 rating on website tripadvisor.

“Kava’s smoked salmon pizza is addictive! I just cannot get enough of it. Their other food items, for example eggplant parmesan is also delicious but the pizza is more than worth it. The oven baked pizzas are great for either lunch or dinner. The service is top class, very pleasant staff. Highly recommended,” one poster wrote.

“I absolutely love this place, from the really yummy pizzas, great cocktails and awesome service, I really can’t complain. I hadn’t been in a couple years, but when I returned it was like I’d never left as the staff remembered me and greeted me like an old friend (and remembered my name too!).

Big kudos to Gerard and his team for keeping this place so awesome! Special mention to Diana and Jeremiah for your big smiles and fantastic service every time!” another poster wrote.

For our meal my photographer and I had vegetarian pizza with rosemary oil and hot chilli flakes, Atlantic salmon grilled and baked in the oven with fried vermicelli, grilled vegetables with tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, green peppers and onions topped with goat cheese, balsamic and pesto, and lamb burger with mint yogurt sauce.

The pizza was tasty and flavourful, the smoky and crispy salmon was outstanding, and the burger was supremely delicious and meltin- your-mouth great.

On the vegetables, I am not generally a fan of tomato but the grilled tomato was the best I have ever eaten.

Cohen-Chan said the restaurant has both indoor and outdoor dining and is a cozy and intimate space. On the clients they have an attractive cross section, including the professional who wants to have a glass of wine or cup of coffee, or business groups coming for an hour. They have a lot of repeat customers and some they see every week together with new faces.

Cohen-Chan said anyone can drop in anytime and “feel the vibe of KAVA”, and while others have tried to recreate the experience it is not the same.

On the design she said they wanted something sophisticated but inviting and down to earth, and had to be cozy so people can be comfortable.

Marcoviche said that they are not trying to be the best restaurant in the country but “just want people to feel at home, eat, drink and enjoy yourself and come again”.

He reported that a representative from the Pegasus Hotel in Guyana was so impressed by KAVA that they introduced a similar restaurant at that establishment.

Asked about the possibilities for the next four years Marcoviche said interest has been expressed in opening up KAVA restaurants in other countries.

For more information please call 622-5282.